Fishermen from Furna, Fajã d’Água, and Lomba Tantum are calling for trawlers with decent conditions

Fishermen from the communities of Fajã d’Água, Furna, and Lomba Tantum, on the island of Brava, are calling on the authorities to build and install adequate boat trawlers, warning that the lack of this infrastructure jeopardizes the safety of fishermen and causes material losses.

According to a report by Inforpress, fishermen continue to work without proper spaces to haul out and store their boats, forcing them to use areas considered unsuitable and dangerous.

In Fajã d’Água, fisherwoman Eugénia Tavares explained that the boats are currently hauled out of the sea via a stream, a situation that becomes particularly worrisome during the rainy season. The fisherwoman recalled that, last year, several fishermen lost boats and engines due to weather conditions, suffering significant losses.

“We make our living exclusively from fishing,” she said, calling for better working conditions and noting that fishermen fulfill their tax obligations.

In the community of Furna, fisherman Adelino Barbosa also criticized the condition of the current trawling site, describing the conditions as terrible. As he explained, the space is cramped, and the process of hauling the boats out can damage the vessels and endanger the fishermen’s physical safety.

Despite paying taxes and complying with the requirements of the maritime authorities, the fishermen, according to Barbosa, continue to work under precarious conditions. For this reason, he once again called for the urgent construction of a boat hauler in Furna, a long-standing demand of the fishing community.

In Lomba Tantum, Adilson da Lomba reiterated the same appeal, arguing that modernizing the infrastructure supporting artisanal fishing is essential to value fishermen and ensure greater sustainability for the sector.

Fishermen from the three communities hope the authorities will respond to their demands. For the fishermen, the creation of suitable boat tugs would improve safety, reduce damage to vessels, and improve working conditions for a group that is vital to the economy and the lives of Brava’s coastal communities.